The Dalmore Faces Impending Whisky Workers Strike After Union Brands Pay Raise Proposal ‘An Insult’

Workers at Whyte & Mackay, the parent company for popular brands like The Dalmore, have voted to go on strike. (Photo: The Dalmore)

The Press and Journal reported on Monday that union members of GMB Scotland voted in support of a potential strike at Whyte & Mackay, the parent company behind scotch whisky brands like The Dalmore and Jura.

The outlet reported that 94% of union members voted in favor of a strike after they were offered a pay raise of 5%-6% despite White & Mackay’s record-breaking profits.

Union members called the offer “an insult” and say they have no issues striking to obtain fair pay.

“It is clear from the result of this ballot that our members are absolutely united in rejecting this offer and determined to take whatever industrial action is necessary to secure a fair pay rise from a company making record profits,” GMB Scotland Organizer Lesley-Anne MacAskill said, according to The Press and Journal.

The Press and Journal reported that Whyte & Mackay’s pre-tax profits were £81.3 million ($87 million) in 2022 and that a 20% pay raise would cost the company £6.6 million ($8 million.) GMB Scotland claims workers at Whyte & Mackay are paid less than any other scotch whisky company in the industry and that the offer as it stands is “effectively a pay cut.” With Europe’s cost of living crisis, that might just be the case.

Funds seem to be no issue for the brand. The Press and Journal reported the company is no stranger to expansions and plan to upgrade its Invergordon operations with a new warehouse. The plans will continue to roll out over the next several decades and are expected to be completed in 2077. Some of the developments include artistic murals, and workers at Whyte & Mackay referred to them as a “vanity project.”

How a Cost of Living Crisis is Fueling Whisky Strikes

In December, Chivas Brothers narrowly avoided a strike set to coincide with the busy holiday season. Workers pushed back against the brand’s initial decision to deny its workers a 6.4% pay hike to combat the issues associated with inflation.

“Sales of the whisky made in Scotland are booming around the world but the workers making it are told they must accept an effective pay cut in the middle of a cost of living crisis?” GMB Scotland Organizer David Hume said to the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald.

The difficulties arising from inflation have been felt by workers both in the whisky world and the hospitality sector in the United Kingdom. Due to inflation, maintaining a comfortable lifestyle seems to be increasingly out of reach for workers in these industries.

In January, a warehouse worker stole limited edition “James Bond” scotch whiskies from the Speyside brand, The Macallan. When asked why he would do such a thing, he cited financial difficulties as the main reason.

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